The process of shifting U.S. 17 Bypass traffic onto the southbound bridge was delayed a day and is scheduled to start Monday night.

Preparation work took longer than expected, which caused the delay, said Lisa Bourcier, Horry County spokeswoman.

The process will take about three days to complete and include limited lane closures on Monday night and Tuesday. The work will be finalized by 6 a.m. on Wednesday, according to a press release issued by Horry County.

There will be limited lane closures between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. southbound on U.S. 17 Bypass Monday and Tuesday.

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The $121.7 million project, known as the back gate construction because of its proximity to the old back gate of the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, includes an overpass that eliminates the stoplight at the Farrow Parkway/S.C. 707 intersection, and keeps U.S. 17 Bypass traffic moving. It is estimated that about 70,000 vehicles pass through that intersection daily during peak season.

Ice storms last winter and a soggy spring and early summer delayed the opening of the 1,246-foot-long bridge from August to October.

The traffic shift preparation on the northbound bridge will begin at 8 p.m. Sunday, and will have a similar schedule as the southbound bridge, the release states. The complete traffic shift for the northbound bridge also will take about three days. Motorist can expect limited nighttime closures Oct. 26 and Oct. 27.

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